Written by contributing blogger: Daniela Forte.
Even though summer is here (finally) and the warm weather calls for vacation, time to getaway can be hard to come by. Work and personal schedules can get in the way of taking time to relax. A great alternative to planning a long getaway can be to plan a few day trips, especially on the weekends. It offers the possibility to see new places that aren’t far from home but still give a great opportunity to recharge your batteries.
A few years back or longer maybe, I took a few days away and went up to Boston and Concord, Mass. I had always been a fan of history and the author Louisa May Alcott and spent a few days immersing myself in it all.
It was something I solely did for me. I went to historical museums, the North End of Boston and had a cappuccino in the Little Italy section of Boston. It was one of the best things I had ever done for myself because it was for me. Friends of mine joked about why I wasn’t shopping on Newbury Street, but I knew that wasn’t what I wanted to do, as a lover of history, I wanted to do something that I knew I could never do with others.
A little under a year ago, my friend and I went to Frenchtown, N.J. to see author Elizabeth Gilbert’s shop Two Buttons. We spent a few hours in her town, an hour or so in her shop. This was such a fun day, because we had wanted to make this trip for a while now and finally got the opportunity to do so.
Is there a place you know you have wanted to see, somewhere historical perhaps or maybe it’s a daylong music festival or concert you have been dying to see? Maybe it’s just a day at a beach that requires you simply to layout and enjoy the warm weather!
Here is what you need to do before deciding on where to go on your day or two trip:
Make a List: Make a list of places that you have wanted to see for a while; maybe it’s a place that has a really neat botanical garden or a cool bookstore, or a place that is simply popular to many people. If there are a few places you want to see that aren’t close together, spread the trips out over the summer months so that you continuously have somewhere to go and can get to them all.
Check Your Budget: Make sure that before you venture out on your daylong journey that you have enough funds to actually take this trip and enjoy the perks along the way.
Ask Friends: Ask friends for recommendations of good day trips if you find yourself lost with ideas of where to go. Also see if you want to gather a group of friends to go along with you, or make it a solo trip and enjoy your own company! And don’t forget to ask friends who live in the area for places you may not have known to check out (i.e. the perfect lobster roll shack).
Pack a Few Things: If you are planning on coming home the same day, just pack a few necessities just in case, an extra change of clothes and toiletries. Also make sure to pack a few snacks and water to keep you going through the day. Make sure to bring a camera or at the very least clear out your cell phone for new pictures!
Book in Advance: Does your day trip require reservations somewhere? Make sure to do this in advance so that you don’t miss out on anything. Before your trip it would be good to look at all the attractions for your desired location, and plan out what you want to see and do.
Check Mode of Transportation: Does your trip require you to drive or take a train somewhere? Make sure you are aware of what the trip requires before heading out on your journey, that way you can make the most of your time.
Enjoy your trip!
#radiatedaily
